By Lizzy Okoji

Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Tunis says inclusion of more women in the Parliament and at all levels of government will foster peace, security and development.

Tunis, who said this on Monday in Abuja at an event organised by women of the Parliament, also called Parliament (ECOPAL) Amazons in commemoration of the 2021 International Women’s Day.
Tunis said the fifth legislation of the ECOWAS Parliament strongly believed that giving support to women across the region would go a long way in ensuring development in peace and security.
The speaker said that it was on that note his leadership was pushing for a binding legislation that would allow a more equitable allocation of more female Members of Parliament from Member States.
He, however, expressed concern that the current under representation of women in politics and governments as he urged member states to increase the numbers of female representation to the ECOWAS Parliament.
“In spite of the work carried out by ECOWAS Parliament in terms of advocacy and actions for the involvement of women in leadership roles, the region still falls short of recording significant figures.
“For instance, the most recent available statistics provided by the West Africa Brief show that women occupy 421 seats in West African Parliaments and thus represent only 16.1 pet cent of all lawmakers.
“Furthermore, 12 out of the 15 ECOWAS member states are short of the 23.3 per cent world average of women in government.
“In the region, women occupy on average less than 20 per cent of ministerial posts and of those, they are mostly clustered in the ministries covering women’s affairs and social issues.
“The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, seeks to encompass in one statement, the idea that the world must, and has now come to embrace the necessity for women’s full and effective participation and decision-making in public life.
“We strongly believe that giving support to women across the region will go a long way in ensuring that we also bring about development in peace and security.
“You know women are very good when it comes to peace and that is one of the reasons we support them a lot,” Tunis said.
Tunis said the ECOWAS Parliament had always shown its support to women with strong advocacy and support for increased female participation in law-making and parliamentary services.
He said that it was because of this political commitment at the highest level that made it possible to adopt in 2003, an ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association commonly known as ECOFEPA.
According to Tunis, the association provides an opportunity for female parliamentarians to use their collective constitutional mandates to create an enabling environment for women’s effective participation in the politics and political processes.
Also speaking with newsmen, Sen. Biodun Olujimi, second Vice President, ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians (ECOFEPA) said there was need for deliberate inclusion of women in politics and governance.
Olujimi said the ongoing constitution review was an opportunity to include a statutory percentage of women that must be represented at all levels of governance.
“For all of us, it is not about the senate only, we have an opportunity that is ongoing, the review of the constitution.
“We insist that in the review, we want minimum of 20 per cent left purposely for women at the local level, at the state level, that is the State Assembly and at the National level.
She advocated a third portion for women in the House of Representatives, in the Senate and to even have two or three governors.
“What is wrong with us to even get the deputy governors to be women and getting the position of female vice president?
“I believe that is the way to deliberately bring women into governance. And, we have to convince ourselves that development will be better and faster with women onboard,” Olujimi said.
Mrs Chinwe Adelekan, President of the ECOPARL Amazons said the theme of this year’s celebration, “Women in Leadrship: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World” highlighted the significant role of women in society.
She said the COVID-19 Pandemic was able to show to the world, the importance of women who were 70 per cent of the caregivers.
Adelakan said that ECOPARL Amazons would intensify efforts with other women organisations across West Africa to safeguard the rights of women and the girl child.

By Lizzy Okoji

The ECOWAS Commission Women Forum has called for gender equality and increased women representation across all levels in the commission.

Mrs Raheemat Momodu, President of the ECOWAS Women Forum, made the call at an event organised by the Women’s Forum in commemoration of the 2021 International Women’s Day.

Momodu who lamented women marginalisation in the commission stressed the need for an urgent conduct of gender audit of the entire ECOWAS community institutions.

She said the policy should contain a Strategy and Implementation Practical Guidelines/ Standard Operational Procedure.

“ECOWAS remains mostly a ‘boys club’ in terms of representation especially in management and decision making spaces.

“A quick peep shows that we have three females out of 16 statutory appointees at the Commission (18.75 per cent) and seven female Directors out of 45 directors in all ECOWAS Institutions (15.5 per cent) including two female Special Representatives who are temporary staff.

“This means that we have two female Special Representatives out of 14 (14.2 per cent). And please let no one tell me that representation is only numbers and do not matter.

“Representation matters and counts, if not lets flip the situation. The ECOWAS commission should lead by example to the member states, so as to be in the position to insist the member states comply with the beautiful ECOWAS Gender Equality we have developed.

“46 years after the birth of ECOWAS and its principal institutions, it do not have a Gender Mainstreaming Strategy and Gender Equality goals/targets for internal purposes.

“It is time that we conduct a gender audit of the entire ECOWAS community institutions to inform a transformative Gender Mainstreaming Policy which will contain a Strategy and Implementation Practical Guidelines/ Standard Operational Procedures,” she said.

Speaking on the forum’s contributions to the society during the COVID-19 pandemic, Momodu said that ECOWAS Women Forum provided relief to less privileged communities in the Federal Capital Territory to ameliorate their sufferings.

She added that the forum empowered women in Kpaduma Community near Asokoro, Abuja, to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Momodu said the forum had lined up other activities for 2021 which included capacity building activities, investment opportunities and multiple streams of income in a COVID-19 world.

By Lizzy Okoji

The ECOWAS Community Court Justice and the ECOWAS Commission have pledged to advocate global women rights and gender equality as the world commemorates International Women’s Day (IWD).

The ECOWAS Institutions made this known in separate felicitation messages made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

The President of ECOWAS Court of Justice, Justice Edward Asante, said that the Court had been in the vanguard for the protection of the rights of women.

This, he explained, was in the context of its mandate as a human rights Court exemplified by two cases where women were deemed to have been unfairly targeted.

He cited the cases of “Hadijatou Mani Karaou V. The Republic of Niger   and Dorothy Chioma Njemanze & 3 Ors V. Federal Republic of Nigeria,” where the court waded in.

Asante said that in the discharge of its human rights mandate as it relates to women, the court had been guided by at least eight International Legal Instruments specifically on the human rights of women.

He reassured the  women of the commitment of the management of the Court to address issues that militate against the higher representation of women albeit in the medium and long term.

“I also wish to use this opportunity to challenge our women, who suffer disproportionately from harmful traditional and other practices as well as human rights violations and discrimination, to see the court as an ally.

“In the effort to attain an equal future in which they can defy the artificial glass ceiling and realise their dreams based on their capability and hard work and not tokenism,” he said.

Also, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Brou, appreciated women across West Africa for their interventions during the COVID-19 crises.

Brou gave special appreciation to the female staff of the commission for their significant contributions to the institution’s work and for the development of the sub-region.

“Regarding women in leadership and positions of authority, inadequate resources and the feminization of poverty hamper women’s involvement in the leadership roles of political parties or in society.

“We will equally help to ensure full participation of women in decision making, public life, positions of authority, and finally, maintain zero tolerance for Gender Based Violence.

“While working towards the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls within the ECOWAS region,” Brou said.

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has expressed appreciation to God and Nigerians as he marked his 64th birthday.

Osinbajo was born on March 8, 1957.

The vice president spoke with State House correspondents shortly after cutting his birthday cake on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

“I must say that I am extremely grateful; first, to the Almighty God for preserving my life till day; 64th birthday.

“But also to say how deeply indebted I am to the Nigeria people and to so many who have shown so much love and so much affection and so many across the nation who have wished me a happy birthday.

“ I wish them also not just great birthday but I pray that the Almighty God will celebrate them just as they have celebrated me,’’ he said.

Tijani Umar, Permanent Secretary, State House, was among friends and well-wishers who converged on Osinbajo’s office to celebrate with him.

Umar described the vice president as a compassionate leader who identified with everybody in times of need.

“First and foremost, let me say that I have come here on behalf of management and Staff of the State House to wish the vice president a very happy birthday; he is being a great boss.

“I think the simple conclusion is that we have somebody who is very studious; somebody who absolutely understands and then, we have a boss who cares and he portrays the very clear sign that every staff member matters to him.

“There is this unbelievable empathy when you deal with the vice president and for this, every staff member is happy today that he is celebrating his 64th birthday and they sent me on their behalf to pass the message of happy celebration to him,’’ he said.

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has congratulated the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as he clocks 64.

The governor’s felicitation was conveyed in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba on Monday.

Okowa lauded Osinbajo for his astute contributions toward good governance in the country.

He said that despite challenges, the vice president had continued to make quality contributions to the stability and growth of Nigeria’s economy.

The governor, particularly recalled Osinbajo’s invaluable role in the enthronement of peace in the Niger Delta, saying that his efforts helped in halting agitations and destruction of oil facilities in the region.

According to Okowa, the vice president deserves some accolades for his leadership role in improving the nation’s economy, especially as Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC).

“Osinbajo’s selfless service to the nation and his numerous accomplishments in personal and public life, readily came to mind at a time like this.

“As Chairman of the National Economic Council, you have made remarkable contributions to the growth and development of the nation’s economy with the support of governors and other stakeholders.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Delta, I congratulate His Excellency, the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, as he celebrates his 64th birth anniversary.

“Your Excellency, we are proud of your sterling accomplishments, uncommon patriotism and humility which have remained the hallmark of your leadership since you became the Vice President of our great country.

“These qualities that you epitomise are some of the worthy traits that inspires us in our quest to build a Stronger Delta for our people.

“As people of the Niger Delta, we must thank you for your diplomatic shuttles that led to the resolution of agitations and destruction of oil assets in the region.

“On this occasion of your 64th birth anniversary, it is my prayer and that of all Deltans that God will continue to bless you with good health, wisdom and many more years in His service and country,” he said.

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, has described  Vice President Yemi Osinbajo  as ` a man to follow.’

Osinbajo, who was born on March 8, 1957,  turned 64 on Monday.

Akande shared insight into Osinbajo’s leadership qualities in an interaction with newsmen on Sunday night shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari described the vice president as `a reliable and dedicated deputy.”

The spokesman said that the kind of relationship that existed between the president and the vice president inspired many and could energise significant national rebirth and development.

He said that by following the president dutifully and faithfully, Osinbajo had demonstrated that good leaders were first good followers and to use the word of the president, ‘reliable’ team members.

“Because Osinbajo is reliable in the discharge of his duties and cool-headed as the president noted, he becomes an example that many are so willing to follow and emulate in life. I do.

“The reason why many younger people seek after Osinbajo and their quest to have him attend to issues is because many see him as someone who is believable and they can relate with.

“The vice president has effortlessly and managed quite comfortably to connect with the younger people and his messages easily resonate with them.

“Even his peers and in many instances those older than him also find him exemplary, all you need to do is to review what many of these or those ahead of him have said about him publicly.

“ The latest is from the president when he said his deputy `is an incredibly patient politician who demonstrates remarkable intellectual and mental energy in the discharge of his duties’.”

According to Akande, greatness comes in twin pieces– following well, learning and leading well; working hard and understanding the value of reward.

He said that Osinbajo was following well and  working hard.

“So in moments when the seat is hot and the atmosphere is charged, people like Osinbajo, endowed with an incredible manifestation of the Grace of God, can stay in the game and show us as a nation and a people to what is increasingly possible when we follow right and lead well.

“Happy birthday my dear Prof.,’’ he said.